not claiming alot of rank in anything. I said I have a 1st Dan in Kenpo, I am Army combatives trained, and I studied some Kung Fu. Not sure how that makes me saying I have alot of rank.
I have been in the Army for 16yrs and have done alot of traveling. Honestly, this is what I hate about **** like this, everybody is a god damn Martial Arts policing member. I did not claim anything crazy, just stated the facts. Wow, man really you need to flame on me about that?

And yes, I think Nicko is correct in what was said above.

Mate, that was not flaming. Trust me, when someone flames you here you will know all about it. This site was founded to ask questions, and no-one is off limits (not even the founding members).

Have you served? And dont mean served the boys at the corner bar either. Have you done any time in the Military? We do have a life you know, its not like you see on your daily dose of MASH. Or what ever **** your mom allows you to watch when she is done watching Oprah.

You can actually get a spiffy "Military" tag to appear at the top of all your posts to credit your service. I think it's JKDChick you need to get in touch with. Try not to get too hot under the collar about polite questions though. It doesn't make people back off, quite the reverse.

Don't suppose anyone has an on-topic post? This thread is not long for MABS otherwise.

Could i only train "point sparring karate," enter a boxing match, and be a professional boxer?

Or are there defined training methods?

And the same with MMA. Can i enter a MMA match with whatever training i want (and consider myself a MMA practitioner) ? or are there defined training methods?

idk.

I've heard a coach i like say that MMA ISN'T MT + BJJ + whatever... MMA IS MMA. There are many aspects of MT that do not apply in MMA just like there are many aspects of BJJ that do not apply.

Every move you train at a boxing gym gets used in a boxing match, no?

You have to remember that boxing has been around for a lot longer than MMA. The day that a guy enters the UFC (or any other top MMA promotion), having trained in nothing but an MMA gymn, and does well, MMA will become a full blown martial art. That probably will happen, but it hasn't happened yet.

Even then I think people will be training in boxing, or MT or BJJ or whatever they need to train in, to improve their game in the appropriate areas.

A BB in MMA is a fallacy. You are either a pro, ammy or trainer in MMA. Boxing is a close example and viable comparison because it is a combat sport and follows the same protocols when it comes to matching fighters for an event. The question will be "how long has your guy been training and what's their record?" not "what is their MMA belt rank?"

The use of a BB in MMA as a marketing ploy to get people in your gym will attract a few uneducated people. Needless to say these people would not survive in an MMA gym anyway. Soccer moms will put their kids in it for the same as they are put their kids in karate and TKD schools. Someone they know told them that it was a fun place for their kids.

As a marketing concept it should not be used. The people who do use it are wielding a double edged sword. They are advertising something but not providing the service in the way many people perceive it to be. MMA to us is competing in the cage under the rule set. MMA to them is karate+BJJ+whatever. Under the definition of MMA they are doing MMA. Under our definition of MMA they are not because they are not competing. In sales they are using classic tactics and ploys.

If your an instructor like me you should be getting emails from companies telling you how to boost customers by adding an MMA program. This is all that they are doing. Now if they lie and tell someone that they will get them an MMA fight and train them for an MMA match and never deliver then that is false advertising.

We see on a pretty regular basis guys who trained somewhere else in "MMA" and think they know something. They may have a move or two that they gleaned from somewhere. They come in and roll and think they are hot ****. They can't make it through the whole practice. They can't do basic drills. They don't know a technique until you tell them Royce Grace did this to so in so in the UFC. It goes on and on. Then they never come back.

Currently we are debating a no-gi/MMA ranking system for our gym. We are seeing a need for people in our gym to know who they can go to for help when we practice without a gi. We are seeing a need for this so people will know who they are rolling against is a competent partner or a new guy off the street. It will not be a belt rank. While we do give out BJJ ranks for the people who train in the gi we have several who choose not to do so.

I train in judo, boxing, and bjj. I wouldn't call what I do MMA. Not until I win repeated MMA fights. At that point I could call what I know and in theory could teach someone MMA instruction.

If your students are not training for and fighting MMA you are not teaching MMA. Plain and simple. I feel the same way about boxing. If your students are not fighting boxing matches, you are not teaching boxing.

"a martial art that has no rules is nothing but violence" - Kenji Tomiki

oh yeah, and seriously, if they are dragging thier packs thier probably pussies!!

Strawman. I didn't say anything of the sort. Most Army guys I've been around instantly recognize that as inter-service banter. You don't for some reason. That doesn't mean you're lying, but I find it odd you've never heard that term before.

Have you served? And dont mean served the boys at the corner bar either. Have you done any time in the Military? We do have a life you know, its not like you see on your daily dose of MASH. Or what ever **** your mom allows you to watch when she is done watching Oprah.

As much as I don't want to derail the thread, I'm not going to let this go unanswered. You would be the first veteran I've ever met to get this torqued about a simple question. It doesn't look good when somebody goes straight for hostility when asked about their service rather than providing a clear and calm answer. Guys and gals who have been there and done that don't need to get all huffy and defensive. Once again, not saying you're making anything up - but it sure as hell don't look good.

Anyways, I have no problem with anyone who offers a decent product making their money, but I don't believe karate schools should go around advertising MMA when that is clearly not what they offer. This school is obviously not a MMA gym, but are trying to cash in on it. Like I said, they would not allow me to come train with them once I told them I had MMA experience and had trained with a quality MMA camp (ATT Orlando).

Scan your DD-214. I redacted my PNOK's address and my own. Put it on a hosting site like ImageShack and send one of the site admins a link to it. They'll look it over and give ya a military tag. As far as the other MA-related tags are concerned, ask the admins what they need for proof, but I'm guessing it'll involved scanned documents of some sort.

Anyways, I have no problem with anyone who offers a decent product making their money, but I don't believe karate schools should go around advertising MMA when that is clearly not what they offer. This school is obviously not a MMA gym, but are trying to cash in on it. Like I said, they would not allow me to come train with them once I told them I had MMA experience and had trained with a quality MMA camp (ATT Orlando).

That still really bothers me that they didn't to have anything to do with you after they found out you had some legit experience.

I respectfully Tap..... Just want to clearify one thing. Ronin came at me saying that I was claiming alot for being in the Military. Kind of caught me off guard. This is not the reason I joined this forum.
I feel my comments on MMA are legit, and I enjoy reading peoples thoughts and ideas. Ronin saying that as a "Pack Dragger" I would not have time to do this, and I must be very dedicated.
Well, call it what you want, but it caught me off guard. So I said I had a back ground in wrestling (Greco), and had ranking in Kenpo and Kung Fu, and Army Combative trained. As a 41 yr old man, I do not think that is stating anything crazy, not bragging, not poking out my chest, just having conversation and asking questions.
But hey, I apperantly responded aggresively to Ronin's "Banter", but pop a jab at me and you will get one back.
It is what it is, and I respectfully TAP on this, I do not enjoy this, nor do I wish to engage in further conflict.

Sorry if I offended anyone, or stepped out of line as a NOOB. Trust me it will not happen again.

Ok, back on subject. I agree with what most of you are saying. It is almost impossible (atlest in my thought) to have anykind of MMA sanctioning counsel for BB. There is just to much of a mix.
I think it all comes down to "buyer beware". There are alot of BS schools out there, does not matter what style. That is the point I was trying to make earlier, what is needed to be called Mixed Martial Art?
Actually, if someone is saying they are a BB in "MCDOJO MMA" and they are solid and have a good system, is it wrong to do that? I am just asking here. If the students feel it is good and like what they are doing, what is it hurting?
I think it would be diffrent if the guy or gal was selling "Parker Kenpo" with a fake BB, that is a whole diffrent story.
Am I way off line here?